Select committee: Transport Committee
Conclusion 15
First Report - Road freight supply chain
Published 1 Jun 2022
Paragraph 51
Addressed to Department for Transport
Transport Committee Road freight supply chain All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
HGV drivers should not park overnight in laybys or other unsuitable locations. It leaves drivers vulnerable to crime and is not conducive to rest and recuperation. Yet some drivers are forced to do this as managed facilities are full, while others choose to, either to save money or because the available facilities are poor. The only way to tackle HGV parking in laybys is to build new facilities and upgrade existing ones Road freight supply chain 33 to ensure there are enough spaces for all drivers. Only when drivers are not able to argue that there is nowhere else to park should penalties for parking away from managed facilities be increased.
From: Transport Committee, First Report - Road freight supply chain (HC 162), paragraph 51, 1 June 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 30 September 2022 (deadline 1 August 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government welcomes the report and sets out 33 measures on the HGV driver shortage, noting most recommendations while agreeing that more freight should move to rail and water and that industry has more to do to attract and retain talent.
- On driver training costs, the Government "notes this recommendation" and says the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence review report will be published "in due course", with its conclusions "taken forward to public consultation".
- On lorry parking, it does "not at this stage intend to set up a Government-Industry taskforce". It is launching a £32.5M matched-funding grant "later this year", with the National Lorry Parking Survey to be published "early in 2023".
- On the Supply Chain Levy, the Government "notes this recommendation" and states that "taxes are a matter for HM Treasury and all taxes are kept under review".
- On modal shift, the Government "agrees that more freight should be taken from the road and on to rail and water". It refers to a rail freight growth target on which it "will consult on shortly".